A custom designed ethical engagement ring is the ultimate in personal expression. If you want a
ring as unique as you, sprinkled with personal significance, a custom
design may be what you’re looking for. Here are 7 tips on how to go about
purchasing your custom design.

Observe: Notice the jewelry that she or he wears to get a
sense of your loves ring personality. Do you want the ring to incorporate an
element of personal significance or to have a particular style, like modern, vintage
or art deco, to help streamline the search? Look at rings people are wearing at
work or at social events. When you see one you like, ask who designed it or
where it was purchased.

Visit: Go to local jewelry stores and galleries to see what styles and design
elements you like and don’t like. Make notes and sketches of elements that
catch your eye, do you like prongs or bezels, halo or solitaire, ornate or
simple. Then research designers who do custom work, read any reviews you can
find and visit the designer to view the work in person.

Communicate: Communicating a design idea can be tricky, try
writing about the ring you envision, or browse the internet for elements and
designs that speak to you. It doesn’t need to be jewelry, it can be
architecture, nature, art or even clothing.

Wedding
Band: When
designing engagement rings you need to keep the inevitable wedding band in
mind. You can design until your hearts content and let the engagement ring
stand alone, possibly to be worn on the right hand after the wedding. Or design
a beautiful engagement ring that considers the wedding band as part of the
whole look.

Price: A custom ring will be more
expensive than a ring bought out of the case, two to three times more
expensive. A custom design is a one off, part of its personal appeal and also
what makes them more expensive. In addition to your designer working out the
structural and aesthetic elements, there are sketches, any design changes, and
fabrication all unique to your one job.

No
Rushing: A custom
design takes time and a six to eight week delivery date is not unusual. You
also need to find a jeweler who’s work you like and trust that they have the
experience to make your piece the best it can be. A jewelry store, like Laura
Preshong, with a staff of trained jewelers making the work they sell is the
best place to have a custom piece made.

Your Perfect Designer: Try to get referrals for designers or jewelry shops
from friends, family and recently engaged co-workers, or take to the Internet
and search for designers doing custom work.

Once you find a designer whose work you
like, ask how long they've been in business and where you can see their work in
person. It's a good idea to handle your prospective designers rings to see that
they're skillfully constructed, and you like the over all work style. A rule of
thumb for a jeweler’s individual style is, it’s like handwriting. If five
people write the word ring, all five will look completely unique to the person
who wrote it. The same is true with jewelry and anything else handmade.

Speak with the designer or salesperson and
make sure you feel confident working with them. Stand by your design ideas but
listen to the designers advise, they know what works structurally on a ring and
can guide you through un-wearable mistakes. Read about our Custom Design Process.